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Barak shocked by strength of demonstration against Syria accord

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Wednesday, January 12, 2000

JERUSALEM -- Aides of Prime Minister Ehud Barak said on Tuesday they were stunned by a demonstration by an estimated 150,000 Israelis against withdrawal from the Golan Heights in exchange for a peace treaty with Syria.

Thirty parliamentarians and several ministers attended the rally. They included Housing Minister Yitzhak Levy and Interior Minister Natan Sharansky.

"I think it was an honor to attend the demonstration," said Sharansky, who pointed out the large number of immigrants from the former Soviet Union.

The aides, who included several ministers, said they were closely monitoring the size of Monday night's rally as a test of sentiment toward the current Israeli negotiations with Syria. Barak has pledged to hold a referendum on a peace treaty with Syria.

"It's impressive," Communications Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said on Tuesday. "To say that I wasn't surprised? I was surprised."

"It was very clearly an impressive amount of people," Industry and Trade Minister Ran Cohen said. "It is a very authentic expression."

But Cohen said that Barak's election victory in June constituted support for an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights for peace.

Other government officials said they were not so sure. They pointed to the large number of Barak supporters who in polls said they disagree with a Golan withdrawal. They also pointed out that many Israelis were unable to arrive at Monday's demonstration because of inadequate transportation arrangements.

The aides said Barak has been urged to launch an effort to improve the Israeli economy and benefit lower-income Israelis in an effort to win support for a peace treaty.

The demonstration proceeded smoothly and politicians did not address the crowd. "We will never leave the Golan Heights,'' said Eli Malka, chairman of the Golan Residents Committee. "I appeal to the president of the United States: Don't interfere, friend. Don't interfere, friend."

Later Malka said, "We're in the majority and we will win. We will take care of the Golan.''

Meir Dagan, who recently resigned as Barak's adviser on terrorism, warned that a withdrawal would result in ''100 years of terrorism. If we give back the Golan, there will also be a war, and it will be bloodier and costlier than any other war in our history.''

Wednesday, January 12, 2000


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